symmes



H. K. SYMMBS. DISTILLING APPARATUS.

Patented Nov. 1., 1859.

H. K. SYMMES, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO I'IIMSELF AND R. XV. HOLMAN,

I OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR BIANUFACTURE OF COAL-OIL.

Specification of Letters Patent No.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, H. K. SYMMES, of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State -of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Distilling Coal, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, represents a side elevation of a distilling apparatus constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2, is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3, is a transverse vertical section of that part of my apparatus which I term the governor together with the pump.

Similar letters in the 3 views refer to corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to save the gas which is now wasted in the manufacture of coal oil because the gas which is generated in the coal oil retorts (notwithstanding the much lower temperature necessary to convert the coal into oil, than to convert it into gas) has not the pressure necessary to make the same useful for illuminating purposes, and if this pressure is given to it in the ordinary way the quantity of oil obtained from the coal is diminished; and this invention consists in drawing the gas from the oil retort by means of a pump, and in forcing the same through a gas retort, in which it is exposed to the inliuence of better gas obtained by heating resin, pitch or some other bituminous substance in this gas retort, and at the same time the pump imparts to the gas the necessary pressure to make it pass into the ordinary gas pipes, and this pump is connected with a vessel, which I term the governor,7 and which serves to regulate the action of the pump on the gas in the oil retort, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents the oil retort which is constructed in the ordinary manner, having a door or slide c on its top, through which the coal is introduced which is to be converted into oil, and another door b on its side serves to discharge the contents of the same, and on the top of this retort and at- 26,000, dated November 1, 1859.

tached to its cover is a vessel B, the object of which is to receive resin, pitch or some other bituminous substance. This vessel connects by means of a tube b with another retort I), which I term the gas retort and which is placed nearer' to the tire than the oil retort A, so that the same is heated to a much higher temperture, and which is connected to the same by means of standards c,

- or by an intermediate brick work, and a tube E, E, which emanates from the top of the oil retort A, leads through oil vessels E:k and through the governor F, and the pump box Gr to the gas retort D, which latter in its turn communicates with the hydraulic main H, or with some other receptacle of illuminating gas, by means of a tube I. The oil vessels E* are discharged by means of tubes 6l.

The governor F consists of a hollow cylinder e, which is open on the top and the tube E is so arranged that a branch f of the same extends up through the center of the cylinderpc, and to a level with the top edge of the same, and a cylindrical vessel g, which is open at the bottom and closed on the top, is placed over the tube f, and a cord or chain it, which is secured to an eye i on the top of the vessel g runs over a pulley, and it is so loaded by an appropriate weight that when water is put in the cylinder e the vessel g can be perfectly balanced in any position which may be given to the same and attached to the under side of its top is a cone valve y' by means of a cord c and the vessel e is so adjusted that the valve j is oft' its seat Z, as clearly represented in Fig. 3, and that the gas passes freely through the tube E to the pump box Gr. This box contains the pump Gr, which is constructed of an endless belt m running over two rollers n, and containing a series of buckets. o, which by working through a tube p in the direction of the arrow create a current of water and gas in this direction and a partition g in the center of the pump box G prevents the gas from being carried around so that the same escapes through the tube E to the gas retort D. This retort is constantly supplied with resin, pitch or some other bituminous substance from the vessel B by means of the tube b, and by heating the gas with this substance its quality is materially enhanced, so that it is ready for use as it escapes from the retort D, through the tube I to the main I-I, or to some other suitable receptacle of gas.

The operation is as follows The oil retort A is supplied with the proper amount of coal by the door a, and the vessel B is filled with resin, pitch or some other bituminous substance, and the fire is lighted. As the retort A becomes hot, oil and gas escape through the tube E, and the oil is condensed in the oil vessels Eig, from which it is discharged by the tubes cl. The gas however passes on through the tube E, and it is drawn on by the action of the pump Gr into the pump box G where it is cleared by being thoroughly mixed up with the water in the pump box, and the necessary pressure is imparted to the gas so that it passes on through the gas retort D and through the tube I with the required pressure t0 enter into the street main H. And as the gas passes over the pitch or resin in the retort D, which by being heated therein forms into gas, the illuminating quality of the gas from the oil retort is enhanced so that it is fit for immediate use.

The pressure of the gas can be regulated by the governor F, which is so loaded that when the pump Gr works too fast the vessel g is drawn down by the suction ofthe pump, and the communication between the tube E and the pump box G is cut oil by the valve j which sinks down with the vessel g, and

which by coming in contact with its seat Z closes the passage in the tube E. By these means the pressure of the gas as itycomes from the oil retort is'not increased until it passes througl the pump, and the yield of oil is, therefore, not diminished, and, at the same time all the gas which is formed in the oil retort, and which escapes through the tube E, is thoroughly cleaned and 1ts quality and its pressure so enhanced that it can be used for illuminating purposes without being subjected to any further tedious and expensive cleaning process.

The pump, G, instead of being arranged as described may be placed between the gas retort and the hydraulic main, when more convenient lto do so.

I do not claim broadly the combination of an exhaust apparatus Vwith a gas conductor or receiver; nor the combination of one retort evolving poorer gas with another evolving richer gas; but l' What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An oil retort A arranged in combination with the gas retort D orits equivalent for the purpose of saving the gas which escapes from the oil retort, and to improve its quality substantially as herein specified.

2. In combination with the two retorts A and D I claim the pump Gr', or its equivalent for the purpose of imparting to the gas he lpecessary pressure substantially as set ort H. K. SYMMES.

Witnesses:

E. WOODWARD, E. P. BATES. 

